The Easiest Tomato Sauce Ever!

So I read about this sauce on Food52, then again on Brusselsproutsforbreakfast and decided I had to try it. The tomatoes in our garden are ripening by the dozen and I didn’t want a single one to go to waste! I am not going to lie though, I was a but skeptical about this sauce since there are so few ingredients in it, no fresh basil or other herbs, but people were just raving about it, so I knew it would be good. I made a triple batch and canned it so we can enjoy it once the weather turns and we don’t have the fresh produce at our fingertips. I made a few slight adjustments, keeping the onion in the sauce and pureeing it to give it a little more flavor. I sautéed some fresh vegetables and added some sauce and basil and layered it with polenta and mozzarella cheese. The great thing about this sauce, it that you can do just about anything with it! I can’t wait to make some homemade chicken and spinach ravioli to go along with this delicious sauce… Enjoy!

Tomato Sauce

• 2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes (canned would work as well)
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion peeled and cut in quarters
• Salt to Taste

If using fresh tomatoes, cut a small X on the bottom of the tomatoes and place in boiling water for about 30 seconds, remove from water and peel skin.

Chop tomatoes and place in pot with butter, onion, and salt. Let simmer for about an hour. Use hand blender (or regular blender) and puree sauce with onion to desired consistency. Add salt to taste and let simmer for additional 15 minutes.

Polenta

Use 1 cup dry polenta and prepare following the directions on the package.

½ Chopped Onion

3 Cloves Garlic (chopped)

3 Medium Zucchini (diced)

½ lb Mushrooms sliced

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes

1 cup packed Basil Leaves (torn)

1 ½ Cups Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare Polenta according to instruction. Meanwhile sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes; add vegetables and sauté about 8 minutes, add sauce and torn basil and let simmer. 

Layer sauce, polenta, and cheese (do this twice), in an 8x8 pan, and cover with foil. You can let this sit in the refrigerator overnight, or bake right away. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour until it becomes bubbly. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato Basil Tilapia

It’s finally that time of year when the long awaited home grown tomatoes start to turn red and are ready to be picked, and the fresh herbs are green and fragrant. I am lucky to have a husband who loves to garden so there are plenty of ripe juicy red, cherry, and yellow tomatoes for me to choose from right outside the back door. I had some tilapia thawing and I thought what better way to use the tomatoes and basil from my garden!

Tomato Basil Tilapia

4 Tilapia Filets

½ Red or Sweet Yellow Onion

4 Cloves Garlic Chopped

4-5 Medium Tomatoes Chopped

1 ½ Cups Fresh Basil Leaves

½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more if you like it spicy)

Salt and Pepper

Spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray and turn on medium. Salt and Pepper both sides of Fish and place in pan, brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Remove fish from pan and cover with foil.

Spray pan again with cooking spray (or use olive oil) and add onions and garlic; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add torn or cut basil leaves, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook additional 5 minutes. Add fish back in for a couple minutes to warm back through. Enjoy!

Chipotle Peach Barbeque Pork Tenderloin with Cucumbers and Yogurt Sacue

It’s finally that time of year, when the local farm stands are starting to pop up with loads of locally grown sweet corn, fresh squash and zucchini, and one of my favorite, sweet juicy cucumbers. One of my favorite dishes to make in the summer is cucumbers with yogurt sauce. I figured it would be a nice cooling dish to compliment the chipotle peach barbeque pork tenderloin I was planning on making for a Saturday evening cookout with my parents. The cucumbers add a nice balance to the spice that the chipotles give the barbeque sauce. These two dishes paired with locally grown sweet corn, and a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc, make for a fantastic summer dinner.

Cucumbers with Yogurt Sauce

4 Cucumbers peeled and sliced

½ Sweet White Onion sliced thin

2 Cups Fat Free Plain Yogurt

¼ Cup Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon White or Apple Cider Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice Cucumbers and onion and place in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix; salt and pepper to taste. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for all of the flavors to combine.

Chipotle Peach Barbeque Sauce with Grilled Pork Tenderloin

4 Cups Chopped Peeled Peaches, (about 4 whole peaches)

1 Cup Ketchup

Juice of 1 Lemon

8 Cloves Garlic Chopped

2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce from canned Chipotles (more if you like it very spicy)

2 Chipotles Finely Chopped

4 Teaspoons Soy Sauce

2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 Pork Tenderloins

Combine first 5 ingredients in saucepan. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until peaches are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool slightly. Place in a blender (or use hand blender) and combine until smooth. Season again with salt and pepper.

Let the sauce cool slightly and pour over tenderloins and marinade at least 2 hours.  Grill the pork until center is 145 degrees, basting with additional sauce as you go.  Let pork rest, and serve with extra sauce.